This invention is in the field of analog to digital converters, and specifically in the field of such converters utilizing charge transfer or charge coupling techniques. It is also in the field of charge coupled devices utilizing signal feedback for multiplying charge quantities.
The prior art does not teach the use of charge coupled devices utilizing signal feedback for multiplying charge quantities.
The conventional prior art A/D converter does not use multiplying feedback principles to enable an increased input signal to be provided to the converter.
The prior art CCD A/D converter likewise does not use multiplying feedback to enable an increased charge level to be reinserted into the input of the converter. The failure to have an increased feedback input charge results in the inability to use a single reference input. The lack of use of a single reference input voltage results in an additional source for error in the A/D conversion process.
Hence, the lack of a CCD A/D multiplying feedback converter, results in a large electronic structure, large power consumption and extremely complex and error-prone control clocking circuits.